Transferring information

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus for transferring encoded information from one or a first identification device to another or second identification device, the apparatus having relatively displaceable jaws actuated by oppositely extending handles, the lower jaw receiving and securely holding the first identification device in exposed relation to the upper jaw, and the upper jaw receiving and securely holding the second identification device, a plurality of punch pins being carried by and selectively displaceable relative to the upper jaw. The punch pins are biased toward the lower jaw so that the second identification device can be easily displaced into a device-receiving chamber and releasably restrained in the chamber. When the jaws are forced together by squeezing of the handles, selected ones of the punch pins are displaced counter to the bias by engagement with code representations on the first identification device to perforate frangible sites in the second identification device.

United States Patent [72] Inventor RogerV. Larson Murray,1]tah [21] AppLNo. 850,774 [22] Filed Aug. 18,1969 [45] Patented Dec.21,l971 [73] Assignee Bio-Logics,lnc.

Salt Lake City, Utah [54] TRANSFERRING INFORMATION 6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 234/78, 234/45, 234/89, 234/131 [51] lnt.Cl G061: 1/08 [50] FieldofSeareh 234l2,3, 76-78,45, 89,131;l97/6.7

[56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,140,505 5/1915 Day 234/45 1,285,837 11/1918 swansonu' 234/45 1,476,273 12/1923 Swanson 234/45 3,008,633 1l/l96l Pennington 234/78X 3,124,302 3/1964 Arnett,.lr.etal.,... 234/78X 3,414,102 12/1968 Norvelle 197/6.7 FOREIGN PATENTS 886,638 1/ 1962 Great Britain 234/45 Primary Examiner-William S. Lawson Attorney-Lynn G. Foster ABSTRACT: Method and apparatus for transferring encoded information from one or a first identification device to another or second identification device, the apparatus having relatively displaceable jaws actuated by oppositely extending handles, the lower jaw receiving and securely holding the first identification device in exposed relation tothe upper jaw, and the upper jaw receiving and securely holding the second identification device, a plurality of punch pins being carried by and selectively displaceable relative to the upper jaw. The punch pins are biased toward the lower jaw so that the second identification device can be easily displaced into a devicereceiving chamber and releasably restrained in the chamber. When the jaws are forced together by squeezing of the handles, selected ones of the punch pins are displaced counter to r the bias by engagement with code representations on the first identification device to perforate frangible sites in the second identification device.

PAIENTED EH22! m;

SHEET 1 BF 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. ROGER V LARSON BY: I AT ORNEY PATENTED HD321 3,628,722

saw 2 UP 2 inn 64 2344- 5:??? 1 46 7-44 I88 i W40 I24 I26 J FIG. 6

INVENTOR.

ROGER V. LARSON ATTORNEY 1 TRANSFERRING INFORMATION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to transferring information and particularly to novel method and apparatus for transferring encoded information from one identification device to another identification device.

BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Novel information transfer apparatus and method are provided which accommodate facile insertion and restrained retention of a second identification device into a pocket adjaccnt a die carried by one of two opposed jaw elements of the transfer apparatus without interference from a matrix of biased punch pins which are normally spaced from the die due to the bias. Forcing encoded portions of a first identification device, held by the opposed jaw, into engagement with certain punch pins displaces the engaged pins through the second identification device and into bores in the die. Hence, the encoded information of the first identification device is transferred without error to the second identification device.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide novel apparatus and methods for transferring information from one device to another.

This and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective representation illustrating primarily the top of the presently preferred transfer apparatus of the present invention with parts broken away to reveal detent structure;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating primarily the bottom of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2a is a fragmentary perspective of an encoded identification device illustrating the manner of encoding;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. I;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the transfer apparatus of FIG. 1 with parts of both jaws broken away to reveal hidden parts;

FIG. 5 is cross section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 with the jaws closed and no identification device in place;

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view with parts broken away to reveal the detent structure; and

FIG. 7 is a cross section taken along line 77 of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT The presently preferred embodiment of this invention has application in transferring encoded information carried by a first identification device 6, having a plurality of spaced and aligned cavities 5, some of which are suitably filled at 7, to a second identification device 8. The second identification device 8 is formed of frangible material and comprises a split collar 9 which may be placed around a blood collection tube or the like and an encodable plate 11. The second identification device 8 has opposed notches disposed near the center of the transverse side. The first identification device 6 has opposed notches 13 in the longitudinal sides near one end. The mentioned notches of the identification devices 6 and 8 have purposes subsequently to be more fully explained.

The presently preferred information transferring apparatus is generally designated 10 and comprises an upper handle element 12 which is preferably formed of a synthetic resin and is contoured to conveniently fit the hand of a user. The top surface 14 of the handle element 12 comprises a flat section 16 which functions as a removable cover providing access to the interior of the handle element l2.

The bottom surface 18 of the handle element 12 comprises an opening adapted to receive another handle element in mating relation.

lnteriorly, the handle element 12 comprises an annular boss 24 which opens downwardly and receives the top end 28 of a compression spring 30 in the blind bore 26. The handle element 12 also comprises aligned apertures 32, one disposed at each sidewall of the handle element and into which smooth ends of a pivot pin 34 are respectively rotatably disposed. The handle element 12 comprises a tapered forward surface at 36, the surface merging with a transverse slot 38. A lower jaw assembly or press head 40 and the handle element 12 are integral.

The jaw assembly 40 is generally rectangular in its external configuration and, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, has a passageway or channel 42 which opens at the end 44 and terminates at an abutment surface 46 (FIG. 4).

The side 50 of the channel 42 comprises a central opening 64.

The channel 42 is sized to readily accept the first identification device 6 when rectilinearly inserted through the opening at 44. The device 6 preferably fabricated to prevent incorrect insertion into the channel 42. The channel 42 has U-shaped sides 48 and 50 presenting ridges or shoulders 52, 56 and 54, 58, respectively, which project into the channel. When inserted, the longitudinal edges of the first identification device 6 will fit into the U-shaped sides 48 and 50 between the mentioned shoulders. In this way, the top surface of the first identification device will be exposed at the top of the jaw assembly 40.

The jaw element 40 has a vertically disposed central groove 66 opening at the exterior of the jaw element of the end 67 and traversing the entire vertical height of the jaw assembly 40. An ejector arm 68 (FIG. 4) is pivotally attached at the end 72 to the jaw assembly 40 by a pin 70. The arm ejector 68 projects upwardly in the slot 66 and terminates in a rounded end 74. The end 74 projects into the channel 42.

The arm 68 is biased toward the right as viewed in FIG. 4 by a tension spring 76 which is disposed in a transverse bore 78. The spring 76 also passes through an interior chamber 80 and an interior transverse bore 82. The end 88 of the tension spring 76 is secured in an aperture 90 of the arm 68 while the end 92 of the spring loops about the restraining pin 94, which is anchored to the frame of the jaw assembly 40. The chamber 80 as well a chamber 86 are closed to the exterior by a bottom cover plate 96 secured to notches 98 and 100 in the frame of the jaw assembly 40. No special mention need be made of the structural configuration of the frame of the jaw assembly 40 and material from which it is made except that it is fabricated so as to be highly resistant to structural failure of any type. The same is true of the handle elements as well as the frame of the upperjaw assembly.

Referring particularly to FIG. 4, the jaw assembly 40 is provided with a longitudinal blind bore 102 which terminates in an abutment surface 104 against which one end of the compression spring 112 abuts. The blind bore 102 opens along the vertical leg of an L-shaped groove 108 (FIG. 5). The compression spring 112 abuts against the surface 118 of a detent 114. The bias of the spring 112 causes the detent 114 to urge the long vertical leg 122 of the L-shaped lever 124 away from the groove 108 in which it rests. Thus, the mentioned outward bias of the leg 122 creates an opposite bias in the leg 134, the lever 124 being pivotally secured by a pin 126 to the frame of the jaw assembly 40 so as to accommodate limited pivotal movement of the lever 124 within the groove 108.

The short horizontal leg 134 of the lever 124 terminates inward of the frame of the jaw assembly 40 in a detent 132, which because of the mentioned bias of the lever 124 caused by the spring 112 normally projects into the previously described channel 42 (see especially FIG. 6). The detent 132 is adapted to engage the notch 13 in the first identification device 6, when the identification device is properly inserted into the channel 42.

The laterally projecting end 134 of the lever 124 has an angularly oriented strike plate 136 (FIG. having an upper ramp surface 138 and a lower ramp surface 140 which accommodates displacement of the detent 132 out of the channel 42 for release of the first identification device 6.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower handle element 150, preferably formed of a rigid synthetic resin of high strength, comprises a hollow body which is U-shaped opening at upper edge 153 inside the upper handle 12. The lower handle element 150 is contoured to present a smooth, rounded bottom 152 which terminates at the rear in an edge 154 and has a scalloped portion 156. The portion 156 merges with an upwardly directed from edge 158. The handle element 150 is pivotally connected to the handle element 12 at the pivot pin 34, the handle 150 being nonrotatably joined to the pin at a knurled circumferential surface of the pin. As is evident from the Figures, the lower handle element 150 at all times mates with the hollow interior of the upper handle element 12 so as to accommodate movement between open and closed posi tions.

Internally, the handle element 150 is provided with an upwardly directed boss 160 presenting an annular blind bore 162 opening in a vertical attitude. The blind bore 160 receives the lower end 164 of the spring 30 so that the handle elements 12 and 150 are biased away from each other to the opened position. The movement of the handle element 150 away from the handle 12 is limited by engagement of the front edge 158 with the lower jaw assembly 40. The upper jaw assembly or press head generally designated 1166, is joined to the lower handle element 150 and is disposed in a position normally spaced somewhat above the lowerjaw assembly 40. The jaw assembly 166 presents an elevated surface 168 part of which is exposed and part of which is concealed under a die plate 170. The die plate is secured by countersunk bolts 174 to the frame of the upper jaw assembly 166 and presents a matrix of spaced, aligned bore holes 172. The die plate 170 has at its underside a recess 176 (FIG. 4). The recess 176 spans between shoulders 178 and 180 to each side and a concealed shoulder 182. Thus, the recess 176 opens toward the front of the transfer apparatus and is sized to readily receive and restrainingly retain the second identification device 8.

The shoulder 180 is interrupted by an opening 181 through which a detent 187 resiliently projects. An elongated cavity 183 (FIG. 1) receives the body 185 of the detent 187. The body 185 comprises feet 189 and 191 which resiliently rest upon the wall of the cavity 183 opposite the opening 181. The feet 189 and 191 yieldingly urge the detent head 187 into the opening 181. The feet 189 and 191 yield to pressure exerted upon the detent head 187 to allow displacement of the head 187 into the cavity 183. Thus, when the second identification device 8 is inserted into the recess 176 the detent head 187 will be caused to retract until the device 8 is correctly positioned within the recess 176. At that time, the detent head 187 will be urged into its at rest position in mating relationship with one detent notch of the device 8. Thus, the device 8 will be restrained in its correct position within the recess 176 until such time as the user manually overpowers the restraint of the detent head 187 in removing the device 8 following transfer of coded information.

The upper jaw assembly has a cavity 188 which opens to one side at 190 as well as at the bottom 191a and terminates at a peripheral flange 192 existing in a downward direction around the three sides of the jaw assembly 166. The upper surface of the recess 188 contains blind bores in which nuts 196 of the bolt assemblies 174 are disposed.

The recess 188 merges with an essentially rectangular, stepped aperture 198 in the frame of the jaw assembly 166. Thus, the aperture 198 is peripherally enlarged at 200 and 201 to thereby form shoulders 202 and 203. Top and bottom retainer plates 204 and .212 are respectively secured contiguously with the enlargement 200 and shoulder 202 and the enlargement 201 and shoulder 203. Each retainer plate 204 and 212 has a plurality of bores 206 and 216 which are spaced one from another and jointly aligned with the holes 172 of the die plate 170.

A plurality of die or punch pins 218 are trapped between the retainer plates 204 and 212 as best illustrated in FIG. 4.

Each punch pin 218 has a lower end 222 and a centrally enlarged portion 224 which rests on the top surface of the retaining plate 212 and thereby prevents the associated pin from falling through the bore 21.6.

A stripper plate 226 has a plurality of pin-receiving apertures 228 which are substantially identical in size, number and arrangement to the bores 206 and 216. The stripper plate 226 rests upon the top surface of the annular enlarged central portion 224 of each punch pin 218 by force of gravity. Compression springs 230, interposed between the top surface of the stripper plate 226 and the bottom surface of the retainer plate 204 urge the plate 226 in a downward position so that the top pin end 220 of each punch pin 218 is flush or nearly flush with the top surface of the retainer plate 204 when the transfer apparatus 10 is at rest. Undesired lateral shifting of the compression springs 230 is prevented by the associated pin end 220 around which the affiliated spring 230 turns. Preferably, the compression springs 218 are located near the corners of the stripper plate 226.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the portion of the flange 192 adjacent the side edge 232 of the upper jaw assembly 166 is provided with an elongated blind bore 234 which terminates in abutment surface 236, against which one end of the spring 240 rests, and opens into a cavity 238 The cavity 238 is transversely oriented relative to the longitudinal bore 234 and opens at the side edge .232 and also into recess 188. The other end of the spring 240 forces a detent 242 outward into the cavity 238 against the sloping surface 244 of a pawl 246. The pawl 246 has a blunt exposed end 248 and a forwardly projecting finger 250.

The pawl 246 is rotatably secured by a pivot pin 252 to the frame of the upper jaw assembly 166. The flat edge 254 of the pawl 246 is normally urged contiguously against the wall 239 of the cavity 238. Thus, the wall 239 acts as a stop to resist the clockwise urging of the detent 242 against the pawl 246 in the at rest position.

counterclockwise movement (as viewed in FIG. 3) of the pawl 246 out of the illustrated at rest position is accomplished by elevation of the strike plate 136 of the detent arm 124 caused by squeezing the handles 12 and together into the closed position. More specifically, as the jaw assemblies move toward each other during closing, the finger 250 will strike the slope surface 138 of the strike plate 136 causing a momentary counterclockwise rotation of the pawl 246 as viewed in FIG. 3. As soon as the finger 250 clears the ramp surface 138 during closing, the force of the spring 240 as delivered through the detent 242 to the pawl 246 will cause an immediate return by the pawl to the at rest position. The return of the pawl 246 to the at rest position causes an audible sound signifying that the jaw assemblies have been completely closed to thereby encode the second identification device and situating the finger in relation to the strike plate for release of the first identification device 6 from the lower jaw assembly by retraction of the detent 132 carried by the short leg 134 of the lever 124.

More specifically, when the handles are released by the user with the transfer apparatus 10 in the closed position, the bias of the spring 30 will cause the upper and lower jaw assemblies to separate whereupon the finger 250 will strike the plate 136 causing rotation of the L-shaped lever 124 about the pin 126 counter to the bias of spring 112. Thus, the detent 132 is withdrawn from the recess 42 and from engagement with the notch 13 in the first identification device 6.

In operation, information of an encoded nature is transferred from the first identification device 6 to the second identification device 8. Initially, the first identification device 6 is inserted through the channel 42 against the bias of the arm ejector 68 displacing the arm ejector at end 74 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4 from the illustrated position to a position such that the end 74 is displaced out of the recess 42.

IUIOH mm The end 74 remains contiguous with the first identification device 6 by reason of the force of tension spring 76. The detent 132 will also be initially displaced by the leading end of the first identification device 6 out of the recess 42. However, the detent 32 is returned by force of the spring 122 exerted upon the lever 124 into the recess 42 contiguous with one notch 13 of the device 6 whereby the encoded identification device 6 is restrained in the transfer position. The second identification device 8 is displaced into the recess 176 provided by the die plate 170 by rectilinear translation using an orientation as depicted in FIG. 1. The second identification device 8 is so displaced into the recess 176 until the resilient detent head 187 engages the notch which causes the second identification device to be restrained in the transfer position. The handle elements 12 and 150 are then squeezed together to close the jaw assemblies. This causes the lower ends 222 of selected punch pins 218 to first engage the filling material in the recesses 7 of the identification device 6 which were previously filled (encoded). The pins 218 which so engage the filling material are elevated counter to the bias of the springs 230 above the plate 204 until the upper ends 222 perforate the device 8 and pass into the associated bores 172 of the die plate 170.

When the handle elements 12 and 150 are squeezed together into the closed position, the finger 250 of the pawl 246 will engage the ramp surface 138 of the strike plate 136 (FIG. 3) causing the pawl 246 to rotate counterclockwise against the bias of the spring 240. At closing, the finger 250 will slide from the ramp surface 138 allowing the spring 240 through detent 242 to return the pawl 246 to the normal at rest position. When the clockwise rotation of the pawl 246 causes the pawl to strike the stop surface 254 a clear, audible sound is generated telling the user of the transfer apparatus that the apparatus is closed and that the pins 218 have encoded by perforation the second identification device 8 in a pattern identical to the encoding borne by the first identification device 6.

When the squeezing force of the handle elements 12 and 150 is relaxed, the spring 30 returns the handle elements to their at rest position thereby separating the upper and lower jaw assemblies 40 and 166. As the jaw assemblies 40 and 166 separate, the finger 250 of the pawl 246 will strike the ramp surface 140 of the strike plate 136 (FIG. 6) causing the lever 124 to rotate clockwise as viewed in FIG. 6. The mentioned rotation of the lever 124 retracts the detent 132 away from the first identification device out of the recess 42. Consequently, the arm ejector 68 (FIG. 5) will be retracted into its illustrated at rest position by the force of the spring 76. The return of the ejector 68 will flip the first identification device from the recess 42. The now encoded second identification device 8 can be manually withdrawn from the recess 176 by exerting enough force to overpower the restraining detent head 187.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by the United States Letters Patents is:

1. Apparatus for transferring information comprising:

a first rigid information plate having information carried thereon in the form of relatively hard relief sites;

a second rigid information plate with encodable sites having relative hardness less than that of the relief sites of the first rigid information plate; and

a data transfer device independent of said first and second rigid information plates and comprising first and second opposed jaws formed with a channel in said first jaw or releasably receiving said first rigid information late;

mgans carried by said first jaw for releasably retaining said first information plate in a predetermined informationtransferring position within said channel;

pins reciprocably carried by the second jaw for displacement over a limited distance relative to the second jaw, one end of each pin being exposed at said channel;

means yieldably biasing the pins toward the channel;

a chamber rigidly fixed in position upon the second jaw in selective communication with the other end of each pin and separated from the channel by the pins and having an admission port through which the second information plate is removably inserted into the chamber;

means for resiliently restraining said rigid second information plate in a predetermined position within said chamber;

means for relatively moving the opposed jaws toward one another causing the relatively hard relief sites upon said first rigid information device to engage and displace selected ones of the pins into the chamber against the second information plate to perforate the encodable sites corresponding to the relief sites; and

means responsive to predetermined movement of said jaws for audibly indicating completion of the data transfer.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises means urging all pins out of the chamber so that when the jaws are open the one device can be inserted into and withdrawn from the chamber without interference with the pins.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said urging means comprises a spring biased stripper plate which is urged against enlarged portions of the pins, the stripper plate being displaceable against its spring bias when the pins are displaced by engagement with the relief upon the one device.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the pins comprise punch pins and wherein the chamber is formed at least in part by rigid die means having a plurality of holes aligned with the pins and through which the pins are selectively displaced.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for relatively moving the jaws comprise first and second handle means respectively joined to the jaws.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein one handle means receives the other handle means in mating relation. 

1. Apparatus for transferring information comprising: a first rigid information plate having information carried thereon in the form of relatively hard relief sites; a second rigid information plate with encodable sites having relative hardness less than that of the relief sites of the first rigid information plate; and a data transfer device independent of said first and second rigid information plates and comprising first and second opposed jaws formed with a channel in said first jaw or releasably receiving said first rigid information plate; means carried by said first jaw for releasably retaining said first information plate in a predetermined informationtransferring position within said channel; pins reciprocably carried by the second jaw for displacement over a limited distance relative to the second jaw, one end of each pin being exposed at said channel; means yieldably biasing the pins toward the channel; a chamber rigidly fixed in position upon the second jaw in selective communication with the other end of each pin and separated from the channel by the pins and having an admission port through which the second information plate is removably inserted into the chamber; means for resiliently restraining said rigid second information plate in a predetermined position within said chamber; means for relatively moving the opposed jaws toward one another causing the relatively hard relief sites upon said first rigid information device to engage and displace selected ones of the pins into the chamber against the second information plate to perforate the encodable sites corresponding to the relief sites; and means responsive to predetermined movement of said jaws for audibly indicating completion of the data transfer.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises means urging all pins out of the chamber so that when the jaws are open the one device can be inserted into and withdrawn from the chamber without interference with the pins.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said urging means comprises a spring biased stripper plate which is urged against enlarged portions of the pins, the stripper plate being displaceable against its spring bias when the pins are displaced by engagement with the relief upon the one device.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the pins comprise punch pins and wherein the chamber is Formed at least in part by rigid die means having a plurality of holes aligned with the pins and through which the pins are selectively displaced.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for relatively moving the jaws comprise first and second handle means respectively joined to the jaws.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein one handle means receives the other handle means in mating relation. 